ORMOC CITY-Death comes to a call center agent who was on his way to work after he was bumped by two vehicles while crossing the highway towards his workplace at about 8: 30 pm on Friday (May 24) along a national highway in Barangay Dayhagan, this city.

The victim was identified as alias “Sam”, 46, workforce manager/ call center agent, a resident of Omandac Apt. Manol Tisa Cebu City.

Involved vehicles and drivers over the death of the victim were a Hyundai Eon Hatchback, color white, driven by alias “Makmak”, 28, a resident of Redcross Village Brgy. Bagong Buhay here, and a JMC Aluminum Van, color white and silver, driven by alias “Tope”, 33, a resident of Sitio Kanlipasan Brgy. Salvacion Ormoc City.

Initial investigation conducted by responding officers from the Traffic Enforcement Unit disclosed that both vehicles were travelling in the opposite direction.

The police said that upon reaching the place of the incident, the aluminum van hit the victim who was crossing the road. The police investigator added that due to the impact, the call center agent was thrown to the opposite lane where he was also hit by the Hyundai Eon Hatchback.

As a result, the victim sustained injuries and was immediately brought to Ormoc District Hospital but was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician, while both drivers were unharmed.

The responding police theorized that the victim was covering his head with his jacket and failed to see the vehicle coming while he was crossing the highway. Both drivers and the vehicles involved were brought to TEU, OCPO for proper disposition.
(ROBERT DEJON)

ORMOC CITY– A sachet containing a white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu was recovered by the Station Drug Enforcement Team (SDET) of the local police from a farmer during a buy-bust in Biliran, Biliran.

Police identified the arrested suspect as alias “Jay”, 32, and a resident of Barangay Pinangumhan where the sting operation took place at about 5:27 pm.

Recovered from the possession of the suspect was one sachet containing a white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu procured by an operative in the amount of P1,000.

Charges of violation of Section 5 (selling illegal drugs) of Article II of RA 9165, the Comprehensive Law against Illegal Drugs of 2002, were filed against the suspect who is temporarily detained at the locked-up cell of the local police. (ROBERT DEJON)

Amid report of ASF cases in San Sebastian Samar

TACLOBAN CITY – The municipality of Calbiga, Samar established an animal quarantine checkpoint on May 26 following reports of a possible African Swine Fever (ASF) case in the municipality of San Sebastian, also in Samar.

According to Samar Provincial Veterinary Office Chief Narlit Bisnar, the decision was a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of the ASF virus.

Reports indicated a 70 percent mortality rate among infected swine in the villages of Camanhagay and Dolores, both in San Sebastian.

Authorities in San Sebastian conducted a sampling of the swine allegedly infected with the virus, and the samples are being analyzed in concerned offices in Tacloban.

Although official reports of the laboratory tests have not yet been released, the LGU of Calbiga, upon hearing the reports of possible infection and death of swine, implemented precautionary measures.

Authorities from the municipal government of Calbiga have advised the community to refrain from buying pork meat from San Sebastian as a precautionary measure.

Bisnar said that while they have yet to receive the official results of the laboratory tests from the San Sebastian cases, they deemed it proper to give the municipal government of Calbiga the go-ahead to establish its animal checkpoint in Barangay Timbangan.

African Swine Fever (ASF) is a highly contagious and deadly swine disease that can affect both farm-raised and feral (wild) pigs.

ASF does not infect people, but it is readily passed from one pig to another by direct contact with bodily fluids from an infected pig.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

TACLOBAN CITY– Bachelor of Arts in Communication (BACOMM) students from Leyte Normal University (LNU) are gearing up for another challenge after being shortlisted for the upcoming Philippine Journalism Research Conference (PJRC) 2024, set for June 7, 2024, at the University of the Philippines-Diliman, Quezon City.

In PJRC 2023, first-year LNU-BACOMM students participated in the Documentary Feature category, securing the 6th spot among nine finalists.

This year, the students have been shortlisted in the News Documentary category with their entry “Pinong Pangarap (Pure Ambition),” submitted in April 2024. The documentary previously won Best Video Documentary at the 4th International Conference on Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Development (iPOVCON) in Manila.

Produced in six days, the documentary highlights the life of Kuya Arturo ‘Jun’ Agner, a 47-year-old sand miner from Brgy. Cogon, Palo, Leyte, which aim to shed light on the struggles of marginalized workers.

Directed by Jon Ivan, the film emphasizes the challenges faced by underprivileged, overworked, and underpaid individuals.

Ivan stated, “We want to make this story known as much as possible…we believe that our entry speaks reality and serves as an eye-opener about the real situation in the country.”
The team also won a gold award in this year’s 2nd EdukCircle Vlogging competition as part of the 25th EdukCircle International Convention on Media Communication 2024.

Currently, they are working on an infomercial music video as part of the top 8 finalists in the LOVE EV Infomercial Music Video Competition, organized by the Department of Tourism (DOT-8) in partnership with Leyte Normal University, Tingog party-list, and the province of Leyte.
(GOLDA MEIR C. CABIDOG,LEYTE NORMAL UNIVERSITY STUDENT INTERN)